Ventilating tunnels.



D. E. MORAN.

VENTILATING TUNNELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE '10. 1915.

1,1 99,485. Patented Sept. 26,1916.

R 1 J a I K I Q If D M JV 6 3 2-1 BY A9 ATTORNEY DANIEL E. MonAmon-MnNDHAM, NEW JERSEY.

'VEN'JIILA'II.IN'Grv TUNNELS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 26,1916,

Application filed June 10, 1915. Serial No. 33,279.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL E. MORAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Mendham, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilating Tunnels, of-which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide an im-, proved system or means for ventilating tunnels, subways and the like; especially tunnels or subways provided with stations at fairly close intervals. I propose to use such stations for the admission of freshair and to provide at points between the stations exits for the bad air with means which works automatically and very sensitively to permit the discharge of air with out permitting its readmission at the same point. Various devices and arrangements may be used for this purpose.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a tan nel or subway at a discharge point; Fig. 2 is a similar section showing on a large scale the mechanism for controlling the air valves; Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan of a tunnel or subway on a smaller scale showing a station in section; Fig. 5 is a plan, partly in horizontal section of a fourtrack tunnel or subway with my improved ventilator applied thereto.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the tunnel A is provided at a suitable point in its length with an outlet chamber B and stack C communicating through valves D with the tunnel and constituting an outlet flue. Preferably the entrance to this outlet flue will be located at the top of the tunnel or as near the top as possible and the discharge end of the flue will consist of a vertical stack, so as to utilize the upward tendency of the comparatively warm gas to be discharged andpreferably also the discharge is assisted by means of a blower or fan E in the stack driven constantly or intermittently, as the case may require, by means of an electric motor'F; and preferably-one outlet flue is provided between each two stations of the tunnel and of a capacity sufiicient to thoroughly ventilate the length of the tunnel between two such stations. But the exact shape of the outlet flue, its point of communication with the tunnel and the number and location of such flues in the length of the tunnel will be determined according to the space available andother practical and commercial considerations.

The valves D are check valves adapted to be opened directly by an increase of air pressure on the tunnel side thereof and to close automatically when such pressure falls. Any usual or suitable type of check valve may be used. In the style shown the roof G of the tunnel is provided with openings at one edge of which the valves D are hinged so that they tend to close by their weight and will be opened by a corresponding upward pressure. In addition to the direct operation of the valves by the pressure and by their weight I provide an indirect controlling means consistinglof a motor which is controlled by a pressure-actuated device such that slightvariations inthe pressure within the tunnel will cause the motor to operate the valves. By this means the valves will open and let out the bad air some time before the rise in pressure is suflicient to open the valves by its direct action thereon, and the valves will remain open as long as there is evena slight pressure, of two or three ounces, within the tunnel in excess of that in the outlet flue. Thus there will be a very thorough removal of bad air in-the tunnel at each operation of the apparatus.

The motor and pressure-actuated controlling means may be of any usual or suitable type. In the apparatus illustrated by way of example, an electric motor H, Figs. '2 and 3, is arranged to drive a gear J on a shaft K which runs along near the ends of the valves D and which carries for each valve a worm L driving a segment M of a worm gear which is fixed on a shaft N constituting the hinge pin of the valve D and which shaft carries at its ends fixed arms 0 which underlie the valves D. The valves D being loose on their hinge pins or shafts N it will be clear that they are free to rise and fall under the direct influence of the pressure within the tunnel (that is to say, the difference of pressure between the spacewithin the tunnel A g and the space within the valve chamber B) and also that the operation of the motor in one direction will lift the arms 0 and the valves while its operation in the other direction will lower the arms and permit the valves to close.

The pressure device for controlling the operation of the motor is indicated as a comparatively large flexible corrugated diaphragm P fastened at its edges, exposed upon opposite faces to the space within the tunnel and the space within the valve chamber respectively, and having its center connected by a link Q with a two-bladed switch It connected with the opposite terminals of the motor H and having the ends adapted to make contact with branches from the three wires of the main circuit S, T and U. When the pressures are balanced on opposite sides of the diaphragm P the motor is disconnected. WVhen the pressure on the underside is increased the wires T and U are con nected with the terminals of the motor so as to pass the current through the latter in what we may call the positive direction and to drive the motor in a direction to open the valves. When the pressure on the underside of the diaphragm falls below that on the upper side the switch is shifted to connect the wires S and T with the motor, in troduciiig a current in the negative direction and reversing the motor so as to close the valve. The limit of movement may be controlled by any suitable means which will throw the switch R to the intermediate position when the valve is closed or is open to the full width desired.

As shown in Fig. 1 there may be two motors H, one at each end of the outlet chamber B, each controlled by its own pressure device P and each serving to hold the valves open until the pressure in both has dropped to the desiredpoint; or one such motor and controlling diaphragm may be located at each corner; or in fact the number as well as the type of motors used may be varied very widely according to circumstances. The pressure-actuated diaphragms may be of any usual or suitable type with means for adjusting them to a desired limit of pressure consisting of a spring or weight or the like. For example, the weight of the parts connecting the diaphragm P to the switch R will cause it to movedownward and produce aclosing of the valves before there is actually any excess of pressure within the exit chamber over that within the tunnel; an adjustable weight or springs may be used instead with the same effect.

The provision which permits the opening of the valves D directly, independently of the operation of the motor, is important for safety in case the motor or its connections should fail to operate as designed. Also for emergencies, such as the filling of the tunnel with smoke or with an excessive volume of bad air, I provide means controlled by hand at the adjoining station or stations for operating the motor and forcibly opening the valves and holding them so as long as desired. The same circuit may be connected to the exhaust fan in the stack to operate the latter in emergencies (where this fan is generally operated intermittently). Referring to the specific construcand is connected to one end of the coil of a solenoid X, the core of which is connected to a two-bladed switch Y, the blades of which are connected to the terminals of the motor H. The switch blades work between terminals connected to the main wires S, T

and U so that in one extreme position the circuit of the motor is closed and a positive current is passed therethrough to operate the motor in one direction, while the opposite position of the switch directs a negative current through the motor to operate it in the opposite direction. The opposite end of the coil of the solenoid is connected to the middle wire of the main circuit, and the switch V is adapted to complete the circuit through the wire S or through the wire U so as to pass a current in either direction through the solenoid and thus to cause the switch Y to be thrown in one direction or the other. In case of emergency the switch V will be thrown so as to cause the motor to open the valves and to hold them open. After the smoke or bad air has been exhausted the switch V will be thrown to the opposite position to turn the motor in a direction to permit the valves to close, after which the switch V may be returned to the neutral position. trolled switch Y as well as the pressure controlled switch R may be returned to the intermediate position by any suitable mecha The hand connism when the valve reaches the limit of its open position or when it closes.

As a train advances through the tunnel 7 it compresses the air before it and leaves a partial vacuum behind it. When the zone of compressed air in front of the train ardescribed the valves will be opened wellin I advance of each train as soon as the increase of pressure above the normal reaches twoor three ounces; and the valves will be closed practically as soon as the pressure falls substantially below this minimum for which the pressure device is designed. Thus the greatest possible volume of air will be exhausted and the least possible quantity of air returned to the tunnel at each passage c...

of a train.

Where there are two or more tracks in a single tube the operation will not be as regular as where there is but a single track. Nevertheless, the passage of the trains will cause an increase of pressure along the tunnel except for the occasional point at which the pressure produced by one train occurs simultaneously with an equal vacuum produced by another train. The pressure produced by a train in such a tunnel, however,

is less than that produced in a single track tunnel because each train is passing through a horizontal column of air whose horizontal section is greatly in excess of that of the train. In this case, where the pressures produced are comparatively low, the auxiliary motor controlled by sensitive and nicely adjusted pressure devices is of the greatest value since it will cause the removal of air where the ordinary directly controlled check valve would fail to operate or would operate only during the periods of maximum pressure.

For a plurality of single track tunnels located side by side it is possible to use a single outlet chamber, and this may be arranged as in Fig. 5. The outlet chamber B here extends continuously over the four tubes A, A A and A separated from each other by vertical partitions. The chamber B discharges through a side conduit Z to a stack located at any suitable point. The chamber B opens into each of the tunnels or tunnel spaces A, A etc., by means of a separate set of valves D, D, I) and D similar to those shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and actuated by similar motors H which are controlled by similar pressure devices P.

When the pressure rises in one of the tubes as in A for example, the corresponding valves are opened and a slight increase of pressure occurs throughout the outlet chamber B. No air from any of the other tubes, as A for example, can pass into the chamber 13 until the pressure in such tube exceeds that in the chamber B. The continued suction through the outlet flue Z, however, maintains the pressure in the chamber B below that in any one tube from which air is escaping, so that, within limits determined by the capacity of the flue Z and the rate of suction therethrough two or more of the tubes A, A etc., may be discharging simultaneously into the chamber B. If at any time the pressure within this chamber compared with that in any one of the flues rises to such an extent that bad air might be forced back into such flue then the valves corresponding to such flue will be immediately closed and such return of bad air will be prevented.

\Vhere there are two or more tracks in a single tube the efl'ectiveness of the ventilating system may be improved by providing partitions between the several tracks extending a short distance, say a train length or even less, beyond the ventilators in each direction so as to secure the desired piston effect of the trains as they pass through the fairly close fitting tubes thus formed. We may suppose Fig. 5 to represent a portion of a four-track tunnel adjacent to the ventilator provided with partitions as described, the partitions terminating at short distances beyond the ventilator. The terminations of the partitions at a comparatively short dis tance from the location of the valves permit the trains to run freely again through wide spaces in which there is less air resistance than in the partitioned space.

Instead of the rotary motors illustrated for opening the valves, motors of other types may be used such for example as solenoids or electromagnets of the type designed for lifting weights. Motors of this sort have an advantage over the rotary motors illustrated in that they act almost instantaneously upon the closing of their controlling circuits. 7

Though I have described with great particularity of detail certain specific embodiments of my invention yet it is not to be understood therefrom that the invention is restricted to the particular embodiments disclosed. Various modifications thereof in detail and in the arrangement and combina-- tion of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention.

What I claim is 1. Means for ventilating tunnels including in combination an outlet flue, valves between said tunnel and said flue, a motor for operating said valves and means actuated by slight variations in the pressure within the tunnel for controlling said motor.

2. Means for ventilating tunnels including in combination an outlet flue, valves between said tunnel and said flue, a motor for operating said valves and means actuated by slight variations in the pressure within the tunnel for controlling said motor, said valves adapted also to be opened directly by an increase of air pressure on the tunnel side thereof and to close automatically when such pressure falls.

' 3. Means for ventilating tunnels including in combination an outlet flue, valves between said tunnel and said flue, a motor for operating said valves, means actuated automatically by slight variations in the pressure within the tunnel for controlling said motor and manually operated means at an admission station for controlling said motor.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

DANIEL E. MORAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

